Overturn bid hinges on ground
The eight-year-old is primed to tackle the Grade One Rabobank Champion Hurdle on Friday week after his excellent second in the Champion at Cheltenham.
Winner of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle earlier in the season, Overturn needs ground on the quicker side so trainer Donald McCain is on weather-watch at present.
“We are looking at the Rabobank Champion Hurdle with Overturn,” he said.
“He has been fine since Cheltenham and is working away nicely. We purposely skipped Aintree to go to Punchestown and providing the ground is OK he will run.”
The track is currently described as good to soft but officials are reportedly expecting a further 10 millimetres of rain in the coming days.
Possible rivals for Overturn would include last year’s winner Hurricane Fly, Aintree Hurdle second Thousand Stars and Dermot Weld’s Unaccompanied.
Meanwhile Ruby Walsh will return to the saddle at Ayr on Friday.
Walsh had hoped to be back in action for Cheltenham’s two-day fixture on Wednesday and Thursday but will wait for the Scottish Grand National meeting instead.
With the Punchestown Festival also on the horizon Walsh felt it prudent not to rush his return.
“I’m still a little stiff and I think two more days’ rest is the sensible thing,” Walsh told www.racinguk.com.
“While it’s a good meeting at Cheltenham, the priority is being 100% fit for Ayr this weekend.”
